Automatic warp stop-motion for looms



(N0 Mod '01.) I z sheetsshe'et 1. E. SMITH.

AUTOMATIC WARPSTOP MOTION FOR LOOMS. No. 491,139. Patented Feb. 7, 1893.

[2 shet shee't ,2.

(No Model.)

B; SMITH. Y AUTOMATIC WARPSI'OP MOTION PORLOOMS... No.491,139.

Patentedf'eb. '7, 1893. r

UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD SMITI-I, OF BRADFORD, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS,TO GEORGE DRAPER & SONS, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC WARP STOP-MOTION FOR LOOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 491,139, dated February7, 1893.

Application filed April 25, 1892.' Serial No. 430,539. (No model.)Patented in England March 25, 1884,11'0. 5,398 in Germany January 11,1885, No. 32,369: in France Iannary26,1885, No, 166.657, andin BelgiumJune 23,1885,No. 69.382.

Too/ll whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD SMITH, manufacturers agent, a subject of theQueen of Great Britain, residing at 8 Brook Street, Bradford, in thecounty of York, England, formerly of 15 Booth Street, Bradfordaforesaid, have invented a certain new and useful Automatic WarpStop-Motion for Looms, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent inGreat Britain, No. 5,398, bearing date March 25, 1884; in Germany, No.32,369, bearing date January 11, 1885; in France, No. 166,657, hearingdate January 26, 1885, and in Belgium, No. 69,382, bearing date June 23,1885,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic motion to efiect the stopping ofa loom upon the breakage of any of the Warp threads.

In accordance with this invention, I provide the spaces of a reed withdevices which I term catches, and which are acted upon and moved fromtheir normal into their abnormal positions by the threads as the latterare opened to form a shed for the passage of the shuttle. These catchesare connected in suitable manner with the stopping mechanism for theloom, so that if any catch fails during the formation of the shed to beproperly moved by a warp thread, owing to the breaking of the latter,the said catch remaining in its normal position will operate to stop theloom.

In the particular construction of stop motion which I have selected forthe purpose of illustrating my invention, the catches in the reed spacesare pivoted upon a wire which is passed through the several dents of thereed, the catches at one side of the reed being weighted to rest uponthe warp threads which pass through the reed spaces beneath the catches.It will, therefore, be evident that in weaving goods for which one endor warp thread in each dent space is required tobe raised at the openingof each shed, all the catches are regularly lifted, the operation of theloom continuing so long as all the catches are regularly lifted; butwhen a warp thread breaks, the particular catch suspended above it isnot lifted, consequently the stopping mechanism actuated by a catch inits normal position, is moved to stop the loom.

It will be understood that each dent spacein the reed commonly receivesseveral threads, and one catch in one dent space will care for thebreakage of any thread in the dent space with which it cooperates.

Figure 1, shows in vertical section a suffi cient portion of a loom toenable this invention to be understood. Fig. 2, a perspective detail ofa portion of the connecting mechanism between the catches on the lay andthe stopping mechanism of the loom. Fig. 3, a rear side elevation of thereed. Fig. 4, an end view of'one of the catches showing the groove inthe same. Fig. 5 a detail illustrating a modification to bejdescribed.Fig. 6, a detail of the attachment H to be'described. Fig. 7, a

detail of the reed and catches showing the latter as supported out ofaction by a wire; and

Figs. 8 and 9, are respectively a partial end and face view of a guardto cover the catches as will be hereinafter described.

' Referring to the drawings, A represents the reed of a loom, the sameconsisting of' the usual reed dents R separated to leave dent spacesthrough which the warp threads are passed.

B and B represent catches 0 :ated in the dent spaces shown'as pivotedupon a wire passed through the several dents of the reed J i v "so Thecatches B, B are Weighted, and flanged 1 as best exhibited in Fig. 1. .7r

or thickened at one end, the catchesBibeing 1 made longer than andarranged aIte1 nate with the catches B, sucharrangement providingsufficient space for the thickened-ends of the catches. The thickenedends of the catches may be made by blocking up the ends of the catchesand afterward sawing or otherwise forming grooves therein to receive thewarp threads as represented in Fig. 4:, or the thickened ends'of thecatches may be formed by riveting narrow pieces of metal onto thecatches, by soldering ends of the required shape upon'the catches, or bycramping the ends of the catches themselves, the end of each catch inany case preferably having a groove formed at its underside to receivethe warp thread or threads. The ends B of the catches, or the endsopposite the thickened ends, are preferably made long and quite narrowas shown in Fig. 1. 4

The drawings illustrate suitable connections between the severalcatcheson the read and the stopping mechanism for the loom, whereby acatch left in its normal position Will effect the stopping of the loom.

Referring to the drawings, 0 represents what I shall call a feeler, itbeing shown as a long segment of ahollow rod or tube arranged back ofand just above the depressed ends B of the catches, the said segmentbeing soldered or otherwise attached tothe free parts of a long hingeC", the fixed or supporting parts P of the hinge being secured to the.upper reed head,.as shown, a wire 0 passing through and connecting thetwo parts of the hinge. A projecting arm D fixed toone end of the feeleror to the free part of the hinge O strikes an abutment Iadjustably fixedby means of bolt 1' to the part M of the frame, at each forward movementof the lay and reed toward the fell of the cloth and turns or rotatesthe feeler in the direction of the arrow Fig. 1, a latch E pivoted on afiat plate R secured to the heads of the reed catching the feeler whenit has been turned .intoits highest position and holding the samein suchposition during the backward movement of the lay. Aspring F acts uponthe lower end of the latch E and presses the .same toward the feelerto;catch and hold the latter as it is turned up by the abutment I. Asthe lay nears its rearmost position the free end of the latch E strikesan abutment F and is moved to release the-feeler andpermit the latter tobe returnedinto its normal position by a spring G coiled abouta rod Gsecured to the support Q, said spring acting uponthe arm D. The abutmentF is made adjustable in its support F and is held in adj ustedpositionby aset screw F The feeler thus turned up at the forward movement of thelay is caughtand held inits elevated position during the backwardmovement of the .lay,when it is tripped and permitted to return andremain in its normal position during the next succeeding forwardmovement, this operation being repeated at each pick of the loom.

H is adagger. standing out from one end of, the feeler .0, the end ofthe daggerbeing, raised and lowered by the feeler as thelatter is turnedon its hinge. I

Referringto Fig. 2, the usual weft fork f and wefthammerf are shown indottedli-nes, they being arranged on the loom frame and operated in theusual manner; the Weft fork being pivoted to the usual weft slide bar,which, when moved by theengagement of the weft hammer with the hookonthe weft fork slotted to admit of adjustment.

out engaging the same. regular operation of the loom, the tripping ofoperates to stop the loom. The weft fork f is, or should be, turned onits pivot by the weft turned at each pick and its hooked end therebyraised out of the path of movement of the Weft hammer, so that the loomwill be stopped only when the weft fork fails of being turned on itspivot.

L is an angle lever secured to a rotatable disk or table J carried bythe loom frame, the outer end of the lever when turned on its pivot withthe table to the left Fig. 2, swinging over the hooked end of the weftfork to prevent the latter being raised. An arm K having a cam orinclined end face It, is also fixed to the movable table J, and asherein represented, the arm K and lever L are attached to the table J bya common bolt J which constitutes the pivot on which the table isrevolved, the arm and lever being each i l h nclined end it of the arm Kfaces the reed and stands in a position to be struck and moved to theleft Fig.2, by the dagger H as the reed moves forward tothe fellprovided its dagger is in its lowermost position, suchumovement of thearm K causing like movement of the lever L, the latter when moved,preventing the raising of the hooked end of the weftfork to therebystopthe loom. But the dagger H during the forward movement of thelay is inits normal elevated position, into which position it should be moved bythe feeleras the latter is tripped and returned to its normal position,the dagger when in such normal elevated position, passing above the armK with- Therefore, .in the the feeler at the endof the backward strokeby the abutment F causes the dagger to assume its elevated position andto pass above the a rm K w-ithout moving it. But during the backwardmovement of the lay, as the shed isopened, should a warp thread break,its catch B or B having nothing to sustain its weight, will drop intoits dotted position until stopped by its end :B strikingthefiat wire Arun lengthwise-the reed throughrthe dents thereof,'the upper end ofthe'catch then lying in such aposition' beneath the feeler that the saidfeeler when trippedbyv the abutment F strikingthelatchE, will beprevented from turning into its normal position ro raise 'IIO the daggerH and will beheldby thede- I pressedcatch in its abnormalposition withthe dagger H in its lowermost position during the next succeedingforward or beating in movement of the lay, the said dagger in such.position striking the inclined end 70 of the arm K, moving the same tothe left Fig. 2, to swing the lever Lover the hooked end of the Weftfork to prevent the latter being raised, thus stopping the loom asdescribed. l

The end H of the dagger H is hingedatI-I' .to the dagger proper, and isfree to turn up wardly, Fig. 1, but is prevented from turning in theopposite direction or downwardly by the cars H on the end of the daggerproper.

After the end of the dagger in its forward movement has passed above thearm'K without engaging it, the abutment I acts upon the arm D to turnthe feeler back and to throw the dagger down into its lowermost positionbeyond the inclined end of the arm K, and upon the backward movement ofthe lay, the hinged end H of the dagger permits the latter to passfreely over the arm K without moving the latter.

Fig. 5, shows a modified form of catch, the same being lighter than theform shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7, which is a vertical cross section of the reed, shows two catchesheld in their inoperative positions by a wire or supporting device Nsupported at its ends in suitable manner and passed under those catcheswhich it is desired shall be withdrawn from action when the full numberof catches is not required.

V Fig. 8, is an end view, and Fig. 9, is a partial side elevation of aguard which is slipped over and secured or clamped to the upper head ofthe reed or to the lay cap, the said guard inclosing the catches andholding the same in their elevated positions out of action. This isconvenientwhere the warp is woven out and another warp is being twistedin.

B represents a wire or rod which rests upon the several catches of theseries and steadies the same when working. I

A cord or wire 0 is attached to one end of "the lever L see Fig. 2, thecord or wire at its opposite end being attached to the usual rod orslide bar to'which the weft fork is pivoted as shown in Fig. 2, thiscord or wire being somewhat slack to permit the lever L to be turned onits pivot and prevent the lifting of the weft fork, as described. When,however, the lever is turned, the cord or wire'is drawn taut, so thatwhen the rod or slide bar is moved back by the weft hammer engaging thehooked end of the weft fork, the cord or wire 0 attached to the rod orslide bar and lever will also act to turn the latter back into itsoriginal position ready for the next starting of the loom.

The 'term catch as employed in the claims,covers any catch pivoted in orworking into the dents of the working reed of the loom and arranged tobe raised or operated upon by the warp threads at the opening of eachshed.

This invention is not necessarily restricted to the particular mechanismby means of which a catch left unmoved in its normal position will actto stop the loom, for any suitable mechanism which will accomplish thestopping of the loom may be employed, and

raised, move the catch, but that should any thread whichshould be raised'or moved be broken, its catch will not be lifted and the loom will bestopped.

In the foregoing description and in the claims, I have denominated thedevices'B, B, catches, the same acting to detect a broken warp threadand stop the loom. The invention is not, however, restricted-to theparticular form of catch herein shown for the purpose of illustratingthisinvention, as the same may be varied without departing from thescope of this invention.

I claim- 1. The combination in a loom of a series of reed dents, catchesfor the warp threads entering the spaces between the reed dents,

each catch co-operating with two or more dependently movable catchesentering the spaces between the dents of the reed, each adapted toco-operate with two or more warp threads passing through its reed spaceto de- 7 tect the breaking of either of said threads, but yet notinterfere with the crossing movements of the warp threads in theformation of sheds, combined with a dagger, the position of whichiscontrolled during the forward movement of the lay toward the breastbeam, by the position of the said catches, whereby the loom may bestopped by the breakage of any one of two or more threads in a reedspace, substantially as described.

3. A loom containing the following instrumentalities, viz; a series ofreed dents between which the warp threads are passed, a series ofcatches working in the spaces between the reed dents, each of which isadapted to be moved from itsnormal into its abnormal position by a warpthread provided such warp thread is unbroken; and a stopping mechanismadapted to be actuated by a catch when in its normal position,substantially as described.

4. A loom containing the following instrumentalities, viz ;a lay; a reedcarried thereby to receive and guide the warp threads; a shed formingmechanism and a series of catches entering the spaces between the dentsof the reed, one catch for each dent space and adapted to be moved bythe unbroken warp threads of its dent space as the threads are moved bythe shed forming mechanism, substantially as described.

'5. In a warp stop motion for looms, a reed, a series of catchesentering the spaces between the dents thereof and resting uponand'adapti ed to be moved from their normal into their" abnormalpositions by the warp threads, pro- 5 vided such threads be unbroken,combined with a feeler automatically moved toward'and from thesaidcatches-and adapted to contact withany catch remainingin itsnor'malposi-f tion by reason of'the breakage of a'wa'rp'thread,substantially as described.

dents, catches arranged between the said reed dents and resting upon andmoved from their j normal into their abnormal 'positionsby'said threadsprovided the latter are unbroken, combined with a feeler automaticallymoved toward the said catches and limited in its, movement by theposition of said catches,

and'a dagger on the 'lay adapted to be moved with said feeler, andco-operating mechanism to stopthe loom, substantially as des'cribed.-

7., A warp stopmotion for looms containing the followingin'strurnentalities, 'viz; -a shed forming mechanism, a series of'catchesadapted to be "acted'upon and moved from their normal into'theirabnormal positions by the warp threads as'the'latte'r are movedto'fo'rm ashed provided the threads are unbroken, af carrier'for thesaid catches, a weft fork-substantially as describedfa stopping"mechanism 1 for the loom controlled thereby, and mechan-,

ism actuated by'a catch remaining unmoved in its normal position toprevent/turning of the for'k by'the Weft thread and thereby ef-j feetthe stopping of the loom, substantially as described. H v.

8. In a warp stop motlon for looms, a reed,

and a series of catches arranged'be'tween'the dents thereof and'ha-vingthickened heads BX- tended laterally at one side of the said reed,

substantially as described.

9. A loom containing the follow ng instrumentalities, viz;a reed, aseries of pivoted catches each co-operating with a space thereinand'adapted to be moved from their normal into their abnormalp'ositions'by the 'warp threads'passed through the respective spaces asthe threads are opened to form a shed provided said threads areunbroken, and a stop ping mechanism for the loom actuated by a catchwhen in its normal position,substantiall y as described.

10. A loom containing the following instru mentalities, viz:a shedforming mechanism a series of pivoted catches out of contact with thewarp threads when the'shed is closed'and' and moved from their normalinto their abnormal positions by the warp threads "if the latter areunbroken a feeler, aspring to move the same in onedirection; an abutmentto move the same in an opposite direction, a latch to ca'tch the feelerWhen moved by the abutment and hold it in its new position, a secondabutment to move the latch to release v saidfeeler, and a stoppingmechanism-for the 6. A loom containing a lay, a series of reedj loomcontrolled by said feeler, substantially as described.

12. In a warp stop motion for'looms,'a'lay, aseries of reed dents; and aseries of pivoted caches entering the spaces between the said reeddents, said catches contacting with only thoseWarp-threads liftedintothe-upperplane of the shed, and a stop for the catches to preventtheir contact Withthe warpthreads when "theshed isclosed,"substantially'as described.

13. In a warp stop motion for looms, the combination with a reed of aseries of catches pivoted between the dent'sthereof and adaptedtobe'acted"uponand moved by the warp threads also passed between the saidreed dents, and as'topping mechanism'forthe loom a' Weft fork, a leveradapted to be moved into stantially as described.

17. In a warp stop "motion for looms the combination with aseries' ofcatches adapted to be acted upon and moved by the warp threads, of asupporting device to hold some of the catches in an inoperative positionwith the remaining catches free to operate, substantially as described.

18. In a warp stop motion'for looms, the combination with-a series ofcatches adapted to be acted upon and'moved by the warp threads, of a'rodresting upon all the detectors to cause uniform movement of thesame,substantiallyas described.

19. A loom containing the following instrumentalities, viz:a shedforming mechanism; a reed; a series of catches working between the dentsof the reed, said catches being out of contact with the warp threadswhen the catches, and a support for the guard,'sub- In testimony whereofI, the said EDWARD SMITH, have hereunto set my hand this 29th 10 day ofMarch, 1892.

EDWARD SMITH.

Witnesses: CHARLES EDWARD SCOTT, HENRY OSWALD WADE. A

